Examples of kennings?

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Examples of kennings?

Could someone please give me a few examples of a kenning?

2007-01-11 00:33:58 · 2 answers · asked by Josh 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay

2 answers

In literature, a kenning is a poetic phrase substituted for the usual name of a person or thing. For example, the sea in Old English was called the whale's road. Another one would be like a warrior was called a feeder of ravens. That is a Norse phrase.
It is almost like a riddle within the verse, describing an object in an unusual way, a ship is a 'steed of the waves', the human body is a 'bone-house', etc..

2007-01-11 02:16:52 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋

"whale road" for sea
"onion of war" for sword or swordsman

etc.

2007-01-11 10:17:39 · answer #2 · answered by jcboyle 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋